1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a function of a multifunction apparatus, including a printer, a scanner, a facsimile, and a copy machine, and also relates to a method for controlling the image forming apparatus and a control program.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have conventionally been programs that are executable in an image forming apparatus having a function of a multifunction apparatus, including a printer, a scanner, a facsimile, and a copy machine. In such an apparatus, a program is selected on a touch panel of a display unit, and a user operation required by the program is input on the touch panel. Also, the program is executed by allowing the user to operate the program through a numeric keypad (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-330671).
On the other hand, there has been a binding application to perform imposition of arranging a layout in a page and to instruct a finisher to fold and staple printed sheets (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-185489).
In the above-described known arts, however, when a user wants to insert a document image captured by a scanner of a multifunction apparatus into a document, the user needs to store the document image in a hard disk of the multifunction apparatus and make a file of the document image. Furthermore, the user needs to insert the file into a desirable part of the document by using a binding application provided in the multifunction apparatus. These operations cause a burden for the user. This is the same for another function of the multifunction apparatus, for example, inserting a document input by facsimile, and inserting a document in the hard disk in the multifunction apparatus transmitted from a PC (personal computer) connected to a network.
For example, assume a case where a document is transferred from the PC connected to the network to the hard disk in the multifunction apparatus and the document is bound and printed by the binding application in the multifunction apparatus. In this case, when the document to be created includes a report and data transmitted from someone, an entire process including transfer, instruction of binding, and printing needs to be performed after transmission from the person completes. This is also a burden for the user. These problems are not limited to the binding application.